


Corpuscles

by Chicklet_Girl



Category: NCIS
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s02e20 Red Cell, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-31
Updated: 2010-03-31
Packaged: 2017-10-08 13:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chicklet_Girl/pseuds/Chicklet_Girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You should have stayed out of this, old man."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Corpuscles

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Session 4, Session 1 of NCIS Last Fic Writer Standing. Episode tag for 2x20, "Red Cell." I decided to a tag to this episode because that fight scene is one of my favorites in any film or TV show, simply because it looks awkward and unchoreographed, although logic (and the production's insurance company) would dictate it be highly choreographed.

"Boss, why don't you go in the ambulance with Leeka and get checked out at the hospital?"

"I'm fine, DiNozzo," Gibbs says as he climbs into the shotgun seat. "I'll let you drive, is that enough?"

Tony bends down to look at Gibbs through the window. "Only if you let Ducky check you out when we get back."

"Deal."

The ambulance drives off with Leeka and Kate inside – no need for lights and sirens, since Leeka's already come around. Gibbs told Kate to wait at the hospital until the two probationary agents showed up to keep an eye on Leeka, then come back to headquarters to write her report. The EMTs thought Leeka might have a slight concussion, so he'll be staying overnight.

Tony climbs in and starts the car. Midshipman Simmons is in the backseat, trying not to cry. When Kate and Tony had told him exactly why Leeka had killed Turner and Blake, Gibbs wished he'd gotten in a few more licks.

_You should've stayed out of this, old man._

Gibbs remembers how that had made him fight back even more. But now he can't get it out of his head. It stays there, like a splinter in your finger -- just big enough to make you feel it, but too small to get it out. He's not sure what pisses him off more: That Leeka thought his jab would make Gibbs give up, or that he's actually bothered by it coming from a man who's nothing but a disgrace to the Corps.

Twenty minutes later, he's in Ducky's makeshift exam room, one that's a little warmer than Autopsy. Ducky presses a cold-pack next to Gibbs's left eye and starts cleaning the cut over his right eye. "How are your ribs, Jethro?" he asks, with that abstracted air he gets trying to talk and do something medical at the same time.

"Fine."

"Is that really so, or should we do an x-ray?"

"It's really so."

"I'll have to take a look to be sure."

"I know what cracked ribs feel like, Duck, and I don't have any. It's just bruises."

"Bruises from what, exactly?"

Gibbs tries to reconstruct the fight in his mind. "He slammed me onto a table, then we fell to the floor. I hit a bookcase pretty hard on my right side." His hip took the brunt of that one. "He got in a punch to my face…"

"Yes. You're lucky the cheekbone and eye socket aren't cracked."

Gibbs glares at him. "He grabbed my jaw. Oh, and he kicked my gun out of my hand, so I guess he dinged my wrist."

"I trust you gave as good as you got," Ducky says, pressing a small butterfly bandage over Gibbs's eye. The cold-pack is numbing his face too much, so Gibbs pulls it away. Ducky gives a glare of his own. "Put it back on, Jethro. We need to keep the swelling down until I can re-examine the injury and make sure there's no ocular damage."

"I can see fine, Duck."

"Then you won't mind my making sure."

Gibbs sighs and gives in. Ducky has a way of making quiet demands that stick.

It takes another half-hour until Ducky is convinced that Gibbs will be fine with ibuprofen and some rest. They're walking out through Autopsy when Ducky says, "Oh, and I called the Director and informed him that under my advice, you won't be in until noon tomorrow."

"You what?"

"It is my opinion that you should get some additional sleep in the morning…" Ducky's cut off by the elevator opening to reveal Abby, Kate, McGee, and Tony inside. McGee can barely make eye contact, even after making up for the panty raid by finding Blake's body. Gibbs may have to do some damage control in the next couple of days. McGee was finally making some progress, and Gibbs will lose a lot of work if he flames out now.

"Hey, Boss," Tony says with a wide grin. "You up for a drink?"

Gibbs sighs. He'd been thinking about it, but in his basement, maybe coupled with some work on the boat. "What about your reports?"

"All done," Kate chimes in. "I took Midshipman Simmons' statement and got her a ride home. The Director says you can turn in your report tomorrow."

"And I finished all of my reports hours ago," Abby says with her version of a salute. "Absolutely in tip-top shape!"

"Ducky? What do you say?" Frankly, Gibbs is kind of hoping Ducky nixes the idea. He doesn't really feel like being a hardass for the rest of the night.

"Oh, one drink should be fine." The look on Ducky's face is too amused for Tony's offer to be a surprise to him.

Gibbs hits the button for the parking ramp. "I don't know if I'm up for it."

"C'mon, Boss, you got into a knock-down, drag-out fight and your shirt didn't even come untucked. Let your Senior Field Agent buy you a beer."

Gibbs stifles a smile. He can hear the capital letters in Tony's voice and knows he'll be riding high on that title for a week. That was why Gibbs had waited so long to deploy it. "Okay. On one condition: Nobody talks about college, or fraternities, or computers."

"Sure," Tony says, smiling and facing front. "I'll just re-enact selected scenes from _Animal House_ instead." Reflexively, Gibbs reaches out and delivers a head-slap, smiling mostly against his will. In his head, he kicks Leeka right in the balls.


End file.
